Every horse owner wants their horse to love them, just as much as they love their horse. By treating your horse with respect and love, you will soon see that trust returned to you.

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Steps

Part 1 of 2: Treating a horse with attentiveness and care

1

Learn how to approach your horse with care. Don't come running up or sneak from behind or you'll spook the horse.

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2

Be gentle when on the ground and tacking up. Move slowly and deliberately, always allowing the horse to see where you are.

3

Talk gently to your horse. Whenever you see your horse, talk to it sweetly and without raising your voice.

4

Show your horse love through touch. Stroke its neck. Massage its neck (horses love that). Hug your horse. Showing affection is a good way to earn the horse's long-lived trust in you.

5

Pay attention to your horse's signals. Horses communicate through horse body language––learn to read this and heed the signs.

6

Calm down when your horse does something wrong. Your horse doesn't understand your sense of wrong and right and is learning, adjusting and coping with what you ask of it. Stay calm and do not yell or harm the horse. Instead, see this as about your own need to be patient and to take things in your stride.

Part 2 of 2: Spending time together

1

Make time to be with your horse. Be around your horse regularly. Daily, if possible. If not, visit as much as possible.

2

Don't always make time spent together about riding. Don't ride your horse every day; have breaks. When you do right, reassure the horse with kind words and plenty of pats. These tell the horse that it's doing something right.

Do not ride the horse roughly. This will only scare the horse and lose its trust in you.

3

Be realistic about your horse's capabilities. This includes understanding that you can't depend on your horse for everything. What your horse cannot do, it cannot do and no amount of wishful thinking will change that.

For example, don't try to jump a 4 foot (1.2 m) jump out of the arena, and say to yourself "I know my horse would never do anything to hurt me. I know it will make it over this jump and it will keep me safe." Because something could happen, it might not go through.

4

Make wise decisions that you know will not put you or your horse in danger. Understand your horse's limitations and anxieties and work with them, not against them. If you know you have a fault in your riding ability, don't ride your horse in that way so your fault could hurt the horse.

For example: If you're a rider who pulls back really hard while jumping, don't jump your horse until you're over that bad habit. Ride in a bitless bridle, or work on flat until you're over it. Jumping that like can damage the horse's mouth, and cause anxiety towards jumping, so don't get mad when your horse gets anxious.

5

Work through anxiety issues slowly and with patience. You won't change a horse's bad habits or fears overnight, but with time and perseverance you might just be able to change some things.

For example, if a horse has anxiety towards jumping, start with ground poles and work your way up, when they refuse or speed in out of nervousness, knock it down to a ground pole again and start over. It's okay.

6

Reward your horse. At the end of the day, always give your horse some form of a reward that lets your horse know you both care and appreciate the services your horse has provided for you. It might be food, a rub-down, a long chat, a mane groom, whatever. Do what works for both of you.

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Tips

Make sure you take good care of your horse, for example, feed it, make sure it has enough water, groom it and give it a little treat every once in a while.

Give your horse treats so that it knows it did a good job!

Don't assume your horse will always make the right decision for you.

Go on walks with your horse. This way your horse gets comfortable with you and you get comfortable with it. If you find something your horse is scared of, walk to it and show your horse it's not scary.

Don't let your horse take advantage of you. Show it who is boss but not in harsh or mean ways.